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What are your favorite books?

Recently I've been hunting for a new great book. Happily, I just stumbled upon the new website, What should I read next? You type in a book you like, and then it gives you recommendations of similar books.

My favorite book of all time is The History of Love, a novel about an old man remembering his love affair. It's so heartbreakingly beautiful that I underlined entire passages so I'd never forget them. At one point, I literally hugged the book as I read. What books do you love?

My all time favorite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. It's a classic with a phenomenally strong female character. I love it. Other favorites include The 13th Tale by Diane Settefield, Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (ok, let's be honest, anything by Barbara Kingsolver). Prodigal Summer is a great summertime read (no surprise there). I've worked in libraries for 10 years, so when people ask for book suggestions, I tend to go a little overboard. Hope you find another book love! :)

Oooh, I liked the Glass Castle, too!My all-time favourite is Keri Hulme's "The Bone People," closely followed by "Sometimes A Great Notion" by Ken Kesey and "Little, Big" by John Crowley.Enjoy "Operating Instructions!" I've never read it - is it good?

I love to read. My fave book of the summer is Rob Lowe's autobio. I was surprised I loved it so much -- he is an excellent writer, and his life story (so far) makes for a GREAT book! I couldn't put it down.

Joanna, I also love Glass Castle. I had the opportunity to hear Jeanette Walls speak at a women's event this summer - she is as passionate of a speaker as she is a writer! I would also recommend "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" - it is a very interesting/different read.

the history of love is so good! i read it while traveling in italy and i will never forget it!i just finished "caleb's crossing" which won the pulitzer prize about the first native american to graduate from harvard. so well written!

It sounds like you'll love You Lost Me There, Rosecrans Baldwin's debut novel about a widowed man who studies Alzheimers remembering his wife through notes that she'd written for herself that he discovers after her death in a car accident. He finds that he doesn't remember the same things at all -- it's a fantastic book.

i feel incomplete without a book to read at any given time, so naturally i'm constantly on the look out to feed my craving. that site is such a great idea! thank you!

a few of my favs are: Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, 11 Minutes by Paulo Coelho, Demian by Herman Hesse, and 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Most recently I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett, which was excellent.

This is so cool!! Kind of reminds me of NoveList, a subscription service used by the library where I work.

I couldn't possibly pick a favorite book, though, I like way too many different genres. I do want to read some more books by Oliver Sacks and Temple Grandin this summer though. I've been reading a lot of fiction lately, so now my brain is craving some non-fiction. ;-)

I gravitate towards autobiographies and memoirs. I loved Just Kids by Patti Smith and This Wheel's on Fire: The Story of The Band by Levon Helm. I also recommend The Boys of My Youth by Jo Ann Beard. I am about to begin Open by Andre Agassi. Life by Keith Richards is on my summer reading list as is Planting Dandelions by Kyran Pittman. xo.

Have you read "the time travelers wife" by Audrey Niffenegger, or "girl with a pearl earring", by Tracy Chevalier. Both were made as movies but the books were exceptionally better.

A couple more favorites of mine, "the immortal life of henrietta lacks" by Rebecca Skloot, "the unbearable likeness of being" by Milan Kundera, "spilling clarence" by Anne Ursu, and "cats cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut.

I could go on and on, but try some of those out, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

I just saw your twit and go curious what is your favourite book and I almost fall off the chair when I saw it is "The History of Love".I absolutely loved that book. It made me laugh and cry. The story is beautiful and moving. I'll certainly read it again. Only thing I didn't like about it was... the title.And here are some other recent great reads you might enjoy:

Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt VonnegutDeath and the Penguin - Andrey KurkovA Short History Of Tractors In Ukrainian- Marina Lewycka

The History of Love - so beautiful! I absolutely loved it. "What should I read Next" sounds like my new favorite website -- thanks! I don't think I could pick just one favorite book, but The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo is definitely up there. I read it in an afternoon while enjoying some sunshine in the Jardin de Luxembourg. The setting, the story -- it was almost too good to be true!

There are so many good ones...some of my favs include:*Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith (This is such a clever book, and very well researched.)*Zeitoun by Dave Eggers (nonfiction, about post-Katrina New Orleans)*Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (Awesome YA)*The Hell series (Prom Dates From Hell/Hell Week/Highway To Hell) by Rosemary Clement Moore (Awesome YA)*Jessica's Guide To Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey(Awesome YA) And my own: In the Spotlight by Liz Botts :)

The Hitchhiker's Guides series. It always makes me laugh. Particularly if I can get the audio books to listen to while I'm working at the computer or going on a road trip.I also like The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith (which are also lovely in audio book form).

Of course, most of what I read these days are pictures books. My little peanut is currently obsessed with one of the picture books I had when I was little. I loved that book, and the binding is pretty much shot to heck, but the illustrations are delicious.

Oh, I loved The Glass Castle, too! I read that a few summers ago. Lately I've loved Me Talk Pretty One Day and When You Are Engulfed in Flames, both by David Sedaris, which I recommend to everyone. I just started Lolita a few days ago, and after I finish that I'm thinking Edith Wharton's House of Mirth or Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace.

I just finished The Glass Castle and started A History of Love and Jane Eyre (I can never read just one book at once.) I just finished The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, a great nonfiction book about the relationship between U.S. health care and theHmong people, really interesting especially for those with small children!

The Chosen, by Chaim Potok; Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (a classic that should be revisited, i had a similar experience with it as your history of love experience, also a lot of tears); and An American Childhood by Annie Dillard. Hope this helps!

I recently read A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN for the first time...such a classic, and just so beautifully written. I couldn't put it down. I also just read RACING IN THE RAIN, a book written from a dog's perspective...I never thought I would like it, but it was really fantastic!

My favorite book of all time is White Oleander by Janet Fitch. It's about a girls struggle in her relationship with her beautiful yet manipulating mother. It's written so incredibly beautifully. It was chosen as one of Oprah's book club books, I highly recommend it :)

I highly recommend The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Wally Lamb's books, The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer.

Also, I just recently read two other great books. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay and A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.

Wow! Im gonna have to use that site pretty soon! Just got through half of "The Beautiful and Damned." I love the writing, but the story is boring me, so it's time to move on. I'm a sucker for anything by Evelyn Waugh. "Brideshead Revisited" is my favorite!

I love the book "The History Of Love." Have you tried her newish book yet? My current new obsession is "The Paris Wife." It's about Hemingway and his second wife, their love affair. I couldn't put it down. "Sarah's Key" is unbelievably moving and heartbreaking. In my hands is the book "Room" which is on NYT bestseller and is supposed to be amazing. Not sure if that's on your list or not. Enjoy! Kelly McKee Zajfentobedevoted.com

So excited you did this post and shared the website. I was telling someone yesterday that I haven't read a good book in a long while. I need some good recommendations. I'm a huge lover of historical fiction and travel novels. I love anything that takes me to another time or place. Thanks for sharing.

Oh man I was totally going to recommend "Glass Castle," but then I saw your P.S. My absolute favorite book of all time is "White Oleander." Stunningly written, brilliantly tragic, so full of hope. Amazing, in a word.

My two all time favorites are The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and The Reader by Bernard Schlink. Both made me cry, laugh and hug the book as I read. I just recently finished The Homecoming by Schlink, which was also very very good. Currently reading Jane Eyre for the first time and loving it!

I read all the time, and I probably have hundreds of "favorites", but one that has risen above them all is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It follows the story of a girl through the holocaust, but the prose and perspective is completely unique. It's so haunting and beautiful.

I love when people do posts about books...it's such a great way to get good recommendations! I'd love to hear if you read any of the suggestions and what you think of them!! That website sounds amazing, will so be trying it! My favourite books are The Art of Racing in the Rain and The Root Cellar. I loved The Glass Castle too, so eye opening!

Thank you so much for sharing this! I will definitely be checking out The History of Love! My all time favorite book is Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. I have read it 3 times so far and just started it again last night. :)

the history of love is also my favorite.... as much as i read, i just have not found anything else that moves me or makes me "see" the characters so clearly. agree with a previous responder about ann patchett. i loved bel canto and the patron saint of liars.

Jane Austen's Emma is an all time favorite, right next to The Grapes of Wrath, though the latter isn't exactly light summer reading. Currently loving Moby-Dick, which, come to think of it, falls right into the current whale trend.

I am definitely checking out that site!!My all time favorite book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I re-read it all the time. Also love The Book of Negros, A Fine Balance, The Help, April Fools Day...

Oh I ADORE The History of Love... I've never read anything as charming! A close second though is Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos--and the sequel, Belong To Me. She was originally a poet, so that comes through in her language and all the beautiful sentences.

loving all these book recommendations! i'm currently reading freedom by jonathan franzen and absolutely loving it. it lives up to the hype.

also recommend you check out goodreads.com. all of my good friends are on the social site and i can see all of their book recommendations and add them to a "to read" list on the site. it's super helpful and fun.

Thank you for the recommendation, I'm adding The History of Love to my list. I'm reading Of Bees and Mist right now, and I'm really enjoying it. My favorite books are I Capture the Castle, All the Pretty Horses, Cannery Row and Great Expectations. I also really enjoyed Free Food For Millionaires. Happy reading!

I loved The History Of Love! That is such a gorgeous book. Dave Eggers is an absolute genius in my opinion, and What Is The What is one of the most powerful things I have ever read. Highly reccomended to anyone who hasn't read it yet!

Our tastes may not be the same - I tend to read a lot of horror, true crime, and biographies. My favorite books are The Stand by Stephen King and Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice. I'm currently working on the Harry Potter series!

I'm recently obsessed again with Alexandre Dumas. Three Musketeers and its sequels are full of adventures, intrigues and handsome chevaliers. These books are the most delightful, romantic, fantasy escapes!

Oh wow! History of Love and The Glass Castle are two of my favorites as well! (I even had our photographer take a picture of HoL in a bookshop during our engagement shoot - scroll to the end to see it: http://bit.ly/kz51it) I recommend my favorite book of all time by Jonathan Safran Foer: Everything is Illuminated (you might consider seeing the movie first - it doesn't ruin the book, but it makes it easier to "hear" the main character).Also, Jeanette Walls has a new book out: Half Broke Horses. I haven't read it, but it's on my list.Books! This makes me so excited!

"Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier is fantastic--and not just because I happen to share a name with the title character (who happens to be the villan). I also really loved The Secret Life of Bees. And if you're in to readable non-fiction, try The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, or The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (about the mingling of Hmong & American culture, so fascinating).

Quite difficult to choose a favourite, but the only book I've ever hugged and / or felt upset when it was finished was The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving. I loved every character in that book and I was sad to see them go.

Anthropology of an American Girl by Hilary Thayer Hamman is my favorite book of all time - I hugged the book too when I finished! The main characters are strong and so easily relatable. I've already decided to name my future child after the male protagonist, Rourke.

One Hundred Years of Solitude is a new favorite. I also love anything by Chuck Klosterman. Vonnegut is another fave. Right now, I'm reading Cooking For Geeks. Not exactly literature, but very interesting and informative.ul

i used to use that website all the time and i totally forgot about it. thank you 1,000 times over for the reminder!!! i have like 20 pages left in my current book and i was just wondering what was next.

I read 'Just Kids' by Patti Smith back in December, and I still think about that book all the time. It was so well written, and the story was captivating. Highly recommended. I would even say it's my favourite story/book I've ever read.

You should definitely read Twin Study by Stacey Richter. Empire Falls by Richard Russo is amazing, as is The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. Or What is the What by Dave Eggers. Foxfire by Joyce Carol Oates is great if you like experimental fiction. As Always, Julia (the collected letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto) is awesome if you like nonfiction epistolaries. The Shipping News by E Annie Proulx never fails to break and then restitch my heart. Blue Angel by Francine Prose is just all around amazing.

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson was so, so moving. I have also loved Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian-American author, any of Sherman Alexie's short stories, and Middlesex by Eugenides. I'm about 1/2 way thru 1000 Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell and finding it very good.

I loved the History of Love and Glass Castle as well! Have you read Jonathan Safran Foer? He's the husband of the history of love's author and his book, Everything is illuminated is AMAZING. Also, I loved The New Yorkers by Cathleen Schine.

Jo, The History of Love is one of my very favorites too! Her new book Great House is also super good. (looks like there are lots of girls who like Ms. Krauss!)

have you read the Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon? I just finished it and it was so wonderful. Plot driven and poetic - and the best ending of a book ever!

I also really like short stories/anthologies during the summer (I don't know if my attention span is shorter or I'm just doing more activities). "My Mistresses Sparrow is Dead" is a collection of short stories that 'give love a bad name'. So fantastic!

I concur with Poisonwood Bible, or anything by Barbara Kingsolver. For some great nonfiction, try A Natural History of the Senses, or The Moon by Whale Light, by Diane Ackerman. Caleb Carr's The Alienist is fantastic, especially since you live in New York. A great memoir of a great chef, Devil in the Kitchen by Marco Pierre White, is hard to put down. Finally, my all-time favorite, The Hours by Michael Cunningham.

Last Summer by Evan Hunter because of the trouble & adventure it took to get it, Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky because the indie boy I loved in the eigth grade recommended it to me and we had several deep conversations about it, Looking for Alaska by John Green because I find parts of it so beautiful. Those are a few among many others that I also absolutely love. I've been wanting to read 'The Glass Castle' for some time as well. <3

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - it will have you laughing out loud and crying your eyes out at the same time (P.S - not something you want to read on the train, I think I probably looked like a maniac when reading this)

I love to read and still check out books from the library! I would recommend: The Art of Racing in the Rain (It's a tear-jerker though, be warned!) I live near Seattle, which is where the author is from. The School of Essential Ingredients was a good, light read. The next on my list is The Love Goddess' Cooking School and Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.

Oh my goodness, I LOVED The History of Love. Some of my other favorites are A Northern Light, The Last Summer (of You and Me), Love Walked In, The Cellist of Sarajevo was really good, and to give a nod to the classics, Jane Eyre, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and To Kill A Mockingbird. Love the mess out of these books!

It's way too hard for me to answer this in terms of all-time favorites, but some of my favorites that I've read in the past year are The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris, Bright Before Us by Katie Arnold Ratliff, The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier, and A Visit from the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan. I also love anything by Anne Patchett and can't wait to read her new one that's just out.

I too am reading Geraldine Brooks' novels currently... so far, People of the Book is my favorite. I was so glad to see a few others mention Middlesex: it's intense, funny, informative, and a little heartbreaking. So great. Also, I just finished The Hunger Games. Could NOT put it down. :)

Drooling over all of these comments! I am currently writing some of these book recommendations on a little pieces of paper at work. I'm feeling a bit nuts but thought I would add in my favorites that haven't been mentioned: (I, too, loved The Glass Castle & History of Love.)

1) Wonderspot by Melissa Bank2) Truth + Beauty by Ann Patchett3) One Day by David Nichols4) God-Shaped Hole by Tifannie DeBartolo (her second book is also wonderful)5) Walk Two Moons (YA) by Sharon Creech

The History of Love has been on my to-read list a long time. Perhaps this summer is the time to read it! I also loved Glass Castle, and like many have mentioned, my favorite is Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Other favorites include The Time Traveler's Wife, Unaccustomed Earth, and The Blackwater Lightship.

Just a few that I've read recently and enjoyed: One Day by David Nicholls; Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran; Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier; Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

As far as favorites, there are so many but Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is WONDERFUL. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is great too. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. I also loved Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (guilty pleasure). There are so many more, but that's all I can think of offhand.

You should check out the website goodreads.com. I often find my books through there. :)

so so many...and yes, the history is love is amazing...other favorites of mine are - let the great world spin (amazing characters set in nyc and beyond around the time of the twin towers tightrope walk...beautiful!) by colum mccann, island at the center of the world (unreal book about early dutch manhattan...sounds dry but totally fascinating) by russell shorto...and if you've never read i know why the caged bird sings by maya angelou might be my all time fav book.

could go on and on...so many...but ive been on a nyc book kick lately (just kids by patti smith is amazing also) and these reflect that!

My favorite "classic" books are Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" & "A Picture of Dorian Grey" by Oscar Wilde...as for some contemporary books I have recently really enjoyed "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin (yes i only read it so i could go see the movie and compare ha) & The Time Traveler's Wife.

Since graduating a few weeks ago from university, I use my schools website to find reading material based on the english classes from my favourite professors. Always some gems on there and I plan on using this methods for years to come

Thanks so much for this post! I love reading all the recos in the comments. Some recent favorites of mine: Freedom, Great House, Cutting For Stone, Don't Lets Go To The Dogs Tonight, Let The Great World Spin, Zeitoun... I'm planning to read State of Wonder by Ann Patchett next.

I loved the Glass Castle as well. One of my favorite books is called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. It is really inspiring. I also loved Eat, Pray, Love, Born to Run, The Pillars of the Earth, The Time Traveler's Wife, The Red Tent and The Millenium series. I read a ton! I love books.

Currently I am reading" The Immortal Life of Henriette Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot, a non-fiction book about the woman whose cells are knows as HeLa and changed the face of modern medicine. Though it is a non-fiction book, it reads like a novel. I'm only about halfway through it, but it is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Highly recommend!

I also really enjoyed "Dark Places" by Gillian Flynn. It's a little dark (hence the title), but it was so engrossing, I literally could not put it down.

Oh, I second Elin Hilderbrand as an author. These are fun summer reads perfect for the beach. She's a great writer. Also, one more to add to the favorites list: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. AMAZING!! I was stunned by what this work of art.

What Should I Read Next sounds fantastic! I always get in a funk after finishing a really wonderful book and I think this site will solve the problem!

Oh my gosh - books that I love...what a bottomless question that could be. Okay - top 2 are:

David Sedaris's 'The Santaland Diaries' because it still makes me laugh out loud even after years and years of re-reading it. It is the absolute cure-all to a bad day (well, that and a big glass of wine :)

I've also read and re-read 'Memiors of a Geisha' until the covers have fallen off. It's just a beautiful story and still makes me cry at the end.

ooh, i love reading everyone's suggestions! i'm an avid reader and love Goodreads.com - i HAVE to have a way to keep track of books i've read and want to read or i'll go crazy! some favorites:

The Help by Kathryn StockettHalf-Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls (like a prequel to Glass Castle, which i LOVED as well!)Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parradoany Jane Austensany Barbara Kingsolversany Michael Pollansany David McCulloughs (if you're a history buff)The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boomany Flavia de Luce mysteries (for some fun!)No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series (more quick, fun reads!)Hunger Games seriesThe Scarlet Pimpernel (an AWESOME classic!)Tale of Two Cities by Dickens

My favorite book EVER is Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I was looking for Everything is Illuminated in the Borders at the Baltimore airport and they didn't have it, but they DID have Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close so I gave a shot- it's beautiful. I couldn't stop reading it. I felt so full and so empty all at the same time when I was finished.

I love your choices! Water for Elephants is one of my favorite's. Since you have a son, I'll recommend my favorite book "How do you tuck in a Superhero?" by Rachel Balducci. Anyone with sons should def. read this one!

Have you read A Very Long Engagement by Sebastien Japrisot? So French, so sad and sweet, with such an adorable and courageous heroine. I read it over and over. I buy copies for friends. If you've already seen the so-so Audrey Tatou movie, don't let that deter you.

i JUST finished history of love. i didn't not want it to end!! then i picked up her husbands book. extremely loud and incredibly close. i love it so much! i don't want it to end. crazy that 2 such talented writers are married. you can tell they influence each others writing style! also if you like a good page turning mystery tana french is BRILL! happy summer reading to you! xx

I often go back to "The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food" by Judith Jones, who saw potential in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" where others did not. (She also saved "Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl" from the slush pile and convinced Doubleday to publish it.) I especially love how Jones talks about her own life in Paris leading up to coming across Julia back in the States, and her subsequent collaboration with her. Other than that, I somehow find myself returning to Barbara A. Kerr's psychology book "Smart Girls, Gifted Women" because of the mini biographies of great women who accomplished great things; several of the women--Marie Curie, Eleanor Roosevelt, Georgia O'Keeffe--were shy or intensely solitary, which, um, I can identify with. And I find what they go on to achieve encouraging and inspiring. :) I also often reread "comfort" books like "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," which had me so enchanted I hardly registered the toddler screaming and kicking behind me on a flight home once; and books by L.M. Montgomery and Laura Ingalls Wilder (I admit it...I still love just about any of the Anne books as well as Little House in the Big Woods--all the good eating!--Little Town on the Prairie, and These Happy Golden years.)

The History of Love is one of my favorite novels, too! I only know you through your blog, but I feel like you could be a kindred spirit, as I too write all over books that I love so that I won't forget where my favorite lines or passages are.

Some other books I love:And the Band Played OnLittle WomenThe Elegance of the HedgehogA Room with a ViewThe HoursThe Sun Also RisesNever Let Me GoThe World According to GarpEmpire FallsThe White AlbumMidnight's ChildrenRevolutionary RoadOn Beauty Atonement

oh, To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. Read it four or five times. It has those passages that just make me ache for the beauty. There is a passage in the middle section of the book that I think is one of the most beautiful, sorrowful, truthful things ever written in the English language (it starts with an allegorical figure of spring, you'll know it when you get there). Just - incredible.

And Proust. 500 pgs. in to the 2nd volume of Recherche du Temps Perdu, you finally get to the titular image (the second volume is "In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower. I still remember having this immensely gratifying sense of satisfaction when I hit it. It was so incredibly exquisite a moment, I was glad to have paid my dues to get there, as it were.

This post came at the perfect time as I'm trying to figure out my must-reads for summer. I recently read "Room" by Emma Donoghue and could not put it down. It's told from the perspective of a 5-year old and is fascinating. Anything by John Steinbeck. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is definitely a classic and a favorite.

I also just read (and realy enjoyed!): "The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir" by Josh Kilmer-Purcell

If you adore The History of Love, read The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Von Booy. The book is a series of short stories about different experiences with all types of love. It's so well written you can't help but fall in love with the characters. Sometimes I dream about his stories. : )

This website sounds perfect! Currently I am reading The Shadow of the Wind, a Spanish novel by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It is a great mystery with awe, passion, love and so much more! Apparently there was a pre-quel written after this one too! ~Val

I second the Glass Castle, but my all time favorite book is 'Shes Come Undone' by Wally Lamb. It is a truly fantastic read that is funny and serious at the same time. I recommend it to everyone, and have gotten many thanks.

Also White Oleander is a classic. I'm sure you've already read this one, but its something i find myself reading again and again over the years.

I'm not going to mention some of the great books that have already been posted, but I can't believe that no one has mentioned The Hunger Games trilogy or The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Sister by Rosamund Lupton is also a good psychological thriller. Anything by Jonathan Tropper will make you laugh out loud - you might need to refrain from reading it on public transportation. Maggie O'Farrell is a talented writer - try The Hand That First Held Mine. If you like historial fiction, Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is a great choice.

I loved "A History of Love." Did you read Krauss' new book? I liked it but don't think it all held together as well as in History of Love.I'm reading The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht now. From what I can tell (on page 95) it's a gripping and beautifully written story about a young woman in the post-war Balkans and her relationship to her grandfather.

I'm bookmarking this post so I can refer back to it when I'm looking for reading recommendations! I'm a pretty voracious reader and have been gobbling up the following:-Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl - perfect summer read-Girl in Translation-Freddy and Fredericka - a spectacular spoof on the British Monarchy, strange and unexpected as well as laugh out loud funny!

I am in love with the book "Shanghai baby" a very scandalous & sensual novel, by Wei Hui I read it before long ago, then picked it up few days ago in a 'swap shop' Enjoying it right now, makes me feel young and rebellious, feels good! :)

Oh I see you've got Khalid Hosseini's "Suns" - read it but love (and translated) The Kite Runner! It made me cry for hours!At the time being I am spending time with Koelho ("Brida") and Guillaume Musso's ("Because I love you")!

Fiction:-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer-Bel Canto by Ann Patchett-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett- Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

I use goodreads.com for recommendations from friends because I can see what they're reading and their rating for the book once their finished. The top of my "read next" (list based on what my friends have read & liked) is The History of Love, One Day, and The Help - I think they're all tied for first place!

FYI www.goodreads.com is where I go to find good books. People review them and rate them. I haven't read a bad book sense:)I last read "Midwives" which had the most dramatic ending and had me staying up late to finish reading it;)

O my Gosh!!!! Thank you so much Joanna for this awesome website. I love reading books, especially historical fiction, and I am so excited to read some of the books they have suggested for me. Thanks again!!!

That is an awesome website! The History of Love and The Glass Castle are my all-time favorite books, too! I read Super Sad True Love Story last summer and it is a very close second-place for me...I thought it was brilliant. And read it twice actually (first time I read it on my i-pad while traveling, and then decided it was so good I wanted to experience it in paper form...something great about actually turning the pages :)

You seriously can never go wrong with a Nora Roberts book! I happen to love all of them. The bridal quarter and The Calhouns series are great! Nicholas Sparks is another great one too. Also, I'm reading Tina Fey's Bossy Pants, and it's proving to be hilarious!